Latest news with #RitzCarltonHotel
Barnama
13-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Trump Begins Visit To Gulf States To Strengthen Ties
A screen displays a picture of Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud shaking the hand of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum 2025 in Ritz Carlton Hotel, ahead of the arrival of the U.S. President, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Pesha Magid By Amirudin Ahmad RIYADH, May 13 (Bernama) -- United States (US) President Donald Trump's official visit to several Gulf Arab nations is widely seen as an effort to strengthen strategic relations, particularly in the economic sphere, and to consolidate America's regional security role in the Middle East. Universiti Malaya Foreign Affairs, Security, and Strategy Analyst Collins Chong Yew Keat said the choice of Saudi Arabia as the first destination for Trump's visit after commencing his second term in January sends a clear signal that Riyadh is indispensable to Washington at a time when the US is mired in global geopolitics. bootstrap slideshow Trump, he said, views Saudi Arabia as the key ally in the Middle East that can guarantee a strong investment. "For his second term, Trump needs a strong investment pledge from Saudi. We can see how this Saudi government led by Mohammed bin Salman has pledged to increase investment in the US to US$1 trillion within the next four to five years. 'And so it appears important for Trump to gain a return on the investment pledge or capital from Saudi Arabia and also to ensure a win-win situation for both sides," Chong told Bernama. Chong said that Saudi Arabia should view the visit as a significant opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and secure strategic support from Washington, including in the area of security. International media reported on Monday that Trump is scheduled to meet with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, and to attend meetings with the leaders of the Gulf states and representatives from the technology and business sectors until May 16. Prominent business figures, including Elon Musk, are expected to attend the Saudi-US Investment Forum set to take place in Riyadh on May 13.
New York Post
10-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Trump to head to Middle East to drum up major investments
WASHINGTON — President Trump will be focused on obtaining investments for the US when he travels to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates during his Middle East trip next week, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told The Post. 'The relationships are very established,' Wiles said about Trump's longstanding ties with the respective world leaders. 'It's almost entirely about business deals and investment in the United States by all three countries,' she added during the April 29 interview. 'It's across the board investments, and they're very substantial.' Along with investments, the president may also bring up other foreign policy topics like the Houthis in Yemen, which shares a border with Saudi Arabia — and ending the Israel-Hamas war, a top Trump priority. 5 President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman (center L) at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. REUTERS MAGA in the Middle East Saudi Arabia was Trump's first foreign stop as president back in May of 2017 and was intended to be his first stop again, before he attended Pope Francis' funeral at the Vatican. The first time around, Trump secured a deal for Saudi Arabia to purchase $350 billion worth of arms from the US over 10 years on top of $110 billion that went into effect immediately. This year's defense spending pledge by the Saudis already is nearly double the figure. This time, oil talks will also be a part of Trump's broader conversations with Saudi leaders, Wiles said. 5 President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in front of the West Wing of the White House, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Washington. AP 'President Trump will return to emphasize his continued vision for a proud, prosperous and successful Middle East, where the United States and Middle Eastern nations are in cooperative relationships, and where extremism is defeated in place of commerce and cultural exchanges,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at her regular briefing Friday. 'This trip ultimately highlights how we stand on the brink of the golden age for both America and the Middle East — united by a shared vision of stability, opportunity and mutual respect.' Trump has a close relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) as the two shared the president's first foreign leader phone call in his second term. The leaders discussed their visions for bringing stability to the Middle East, regional security and ending terrorism, as well as economic projects, in that January phone call. The Saudi leader also vowed on the call to find $600 billion to invest into the US — prompting Trump to say he would visit the country first if they coughed up the money. 5 Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has vowed to invest big bucks in the United States. Getty Images The oil and natural-gas rich Gulf states have some of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds, in addition to substantial personal holdings by leading royals and businessmen — making them a prime cohort to woo for billions in investments. Business titans are flocking to a US investment summit on May 13 in Riyadh, The Post reported. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta head Mark Zuckerberg, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and White House AI czar David Sacks are among those expected for the event in Riyadh. 'This high-level Forum will spotlight our most trusted US investment partners — such as your esteemed company — who have already played a meaningful role in the Kingdom's transformation journey,' an invite to the conference read. 'The event will provide an exclusive opportunity to deepen engagement, unlock new investment avenues, and reaffirm our long-standing economic partnership.' 5 Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, speaks during an interview with CNBC on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, April 11, 2025. REUTERS The next day, MBS is set to host a Gulf state leaders summit where Trump will have an opportunity to share America's economic cooperation proposals with top officials, Axios first reported. The May 14 meeting is being organized by MBS, who is planning to send invites to the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar — all Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The president then heads to Qatar — where he will visit a US military base — and the United Arab Emirates for separate legs of the trip Leading up to this term's first multi-destination foreign trip, Trump has teased big news about the Middle East, promising a 'very very big announcement' before he sets off — without revealing the contents. He said Wednesday there may be news about a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza in the next '24 hours' and is considering renaming the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf before he embarks on the trip Monday. Trump's personal ties Trump's visit follows a series of high-profile business engagements between regional players and his family's business empire. Late last year, the Trump Organization announced plans to build two Trump Towers in Saudi Arabia — one in Riyadh and the other in the country's second city Jeddah along the Red Sea. Since then, plans have been announced for an 80-story Trump hotel and residential skyscraper in Dubai — about an hour from Emirati capital Abu Dhabi — and to construct a luxurious Trump golf club in Qatar. 5 President Donald Trump and White House Crypto Czar David Sacks speak at the The White House Digital Assets Summit at the White House on March 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. Getty Images In addition to those multibillion-dollar construction projects, last months plans were announced for a UAE-based fund to invest $2 billion into a Trump family cryptocurrency initiative. 'I think it's frankly ridiculous that anyone in this room would even suggest that President Trump is doing anything for his own benefit,' Leavitt said Friday when asked about the family investments. The press secretary said she was not aware of any plans to meet with figures involved in his family's ventures. 'He left a life of luxury and a life of running a very successful real estate empire for public service, not just once, but twice. This is a president who has actually lost money for being president of the United States,' Leavitt said. Leavitt scolded reporters for not asking 'these questions being asked of my predecessor about a career politician who is clearly dropping off of his office' — referring to former President Joe Biden's role in his brother James Biden and son Hunter Biden's foreign consulting ventures. Congressional Republicans who launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden's conduct argued that unlike the Democrat's family business, Trump's ventures provide quantifiable products, such as brick-and-mortar establishments that provide services to paying guests. 'That is not what President Trump does, and this White House holds ourselves to the highest ethical standards,' Leavitt said.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Maine Classic Car Museum wins national acclaim for rare 1954 Hudson Italia
ARUNDEL, Maine — The Maine Classic Car Museum won a national award this month for a 1954 Hudson Italia car shown at the 30th annual Amelia Concours d'Elegance show at the Ritz Carlton Hotel at Amelia Island, Florida. 'We're delighted to win the prestigious Petersen Award at one of the country's top classic car judged shows at Amelia,' said Andy Reid, collection manager at the museum. 'There were over 250 cars exhibited at the show and more than a dozen in our judging class. So, there was stiff competition from cars exhibited by museums from around the country at this show.' Shown by invitation only, the show attracts some of the most iconic and beautiful motor vehicles, including motor sports, European and American classics. 'Our 1954 Hudson Italia is one of America's rarest limited production cars,' said Museum President Gene Prentice. 'It's never been repainted or restored— that's why we call it a preservation car.' 'A car is only original once,' explains Reid, 'and our Hudson Italia has a very special story to tell. The car has been in New England since new, one of just 26 cars produced by Hudson, an independent car manufactured in Detroit. In the mid-1950s, the rise of the Big Three car companies— Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler— made it difficult for smaller companies like Hudson to survive.' Needing a bold move, Hudson teamed up with a special design house in Italy to craft and hand build the Italia car, meant to spark publicity and demand for their new cars produced by American Motors. The museum acquired the car last year from the collection of Wayne Carini of Connecticut, the long-time host of 'Chasing Classic Cars,' a popular reality TV show for many years. 'I worked on this car as a teenager when the original owner brought it into my father's shop,' said Carini. 'I was proud to have it in my collection for many years. Now, I am so pleased that my friends at the Maine Classic Car Museum are the new stewards of the car, and it is staying right here in New England.' 'One of the highlights of the show was meeting with a special youth judging panel,' said Reid. He met with the Junior Judging team, comprised of more than a dozen mostly pre-teen enthusiasts, who each had a scorecard to evaluate cars in their judging class. 'The Maine Classic Car Museum has a strong tradition of engaging young people, especially our student internship program,' said Prentice. 'So getting a chance to participate in the junior judging was a natural for our team at the show.' The Maine Classic Car Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter, and daily starting in the spring. Admission is free for children ages 7 and under, and all other visitors pay $12 per person. For more information, call 207-602-6620 or go online to This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Maine Classic Car Museum wins national acclaim for 1954 Hudson Italia
Saudi Gazette
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
US looks to make headway on Trump's ceasefire hopes as Russia talks open in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH — A US delegation led by Steve Witkoff has begun a high-stakes meeting with Kremlin negotiators in Saudi Arabia, where the Trump administration is pushing for progress toward a ceasefire in separate talks with Russia and Ukraine. The meeting comes one day after talks between a US team led by President Donald Trump's Kyiv envoy, Keith Kellogg, and Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, which were described by the latter as 'productive and focused.' At the top of the agenda of Monday's talks will be 'the issue of the Black Sea Initiative and all aspects related to its renewal,' including 'navigation safety,' according to the Kremlin. Earlier in the war, the so-called Black Sea Grain Initiative enabled the safe export of Ukrainian grain through Black Sea waters. Russia withdrew from that agreement, which was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, in 2023, complaining that Russia faced obstacles exporting its own food. Washington is eyeing a potential maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and hoping that some of the initial positivity in peace talks can be translated into a broader 30-day truce and longer-term negotiations. But a wide gulf in expectations exists between Russia, Ukraine and their US interlocutors. As talks continue, so do the attacks on Ukraine, where Russian strikes have killed at least four civilians in the last 24 hours, according to regional officials on Monday morning, and injured at least 13 other people – including a pregnant woman. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to temporarily halt attacks on energy targets in Ukraine after a lengthy telephone call with US counterpart Donald Trump last week, but has continued to bombard civilian targets. Ukraine has also fired back at Russia. Russia and Ukraine traded blame on Friday over an attack on a gas metering station that lies in Russia's Kursk region, just a few hundred meters from their shared border. At Monday's talks at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, the Russian delegation includes seasoned Kremlin diplomat Grigory Karasin and former spy chief Sergey Beseda, according to Russian state media. Beseda is viewed by many in Ukraine as a hard-nosed nationalist and early supporter of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The trust deficit on the Ukrainian side has not been helped by Witkoff's recent rhetorical support for many of Russian President Vladimir Putin's maximalist positions ahead of talks. Speaking to podcast host Tucker Carlson on Sunday, Witkoff appeared to show some sympathy toward Russia's territorial ambitions in Ukraine, describing the four regions Russia wants to formally annex — Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk — as 'Russian speaking.' 'There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule,' he said. Russia held the referendums in occupied areas of the four territories in September 2022. The votes were widely viewed as a sham and heavily criticized by the US at the time as well as by allies in Europe. 'The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: Will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories?' Witkoff asked Sunday. 'Can (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky survive politically if he acknowledges this? This is the central issue in the conflict.' Moscow says a ceasefire will not be possible unless Kyiv agrees not to use it to resupply or reorganize its troops. It has also publicly voiced key demands such as Ukraine never being allowed to join NATO. Speaking Sunday night, Zelensky put the responsibility on Putin to end the war. 'The one who brought this war must take it away,' the Ukrainian president said. — CNN
Egypt Independent
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
US looks to make headway on Trump's ceasefire hopes as Russia talks open in Saudi Arabia
CNN — A United States delegation led by real estate tycoon-turned-diplomat Steve Witkoff has begun a high-stakes meeting with Kremlin negotiators in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the Trump administration is pushing for a ceasefire in separate talks with Russia and Ukraine. Russia's TASS news agency reported that talks were underway on Monday morning, citing an unnamed source. The meeting comes one day after talks between a US team led by President Donald Trump's Kyiv envoy, Keith Kellogg, and Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, which was described by the latter as 'productive and focused.' While many watching from Washington, and across Europe, will hope some initial positivity can be translated into a 30-day ceasefire and longer-term negotiations, a wide gulf in expectations exists between Russia, Ukraine and their US interlocutors. A barrage of Russian drone attacks killed at least six in Ukraine over the weekend, including young families. Moscow accuses Ukraine of recent hits on gas and oil facilities in Kursk and Krasnodar despite its offer to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The Russian delegation at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh includes seasoned Kremlin diplomat Grigory Karasin and former spy chief Sergey Beseda, according to Russian state media. Beseda is viewed by many in Ukraine as a hard-nosed nationalist and early supporter of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The trust deficit on the Ukrainian side has not been helped by Witkoff's recent rhetorical support for many of Russian President Vladimir Putin's maximalist positions ahead of talks. Speaking to podcast host Tucker Carlson on Sunday, Witkoff appeared to show some sympathy toward Russia's territorial ambitions in Ukraine, describing the four regions Russia wants to formally annex — Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk — as 'Russian speaking.' 'There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule,' he said. Russia held the referendums in occupied areas of the four territories in September 2022. The votes were widely viewed as a sham and heavily criticized by the US at the time as well as by allies in Europe. 'The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: Will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories?' Witkoff asked Sunday. 'Can (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky survive politically if he acknowledges this? This is the central issue in the conflict.' Moscow says a ceasefire will not be possible unless Kyiv agrees not to use it to resupply or reorganize its troops. It has also publicly voiced key demands such as Ukraine never being allowed to join NATO. Speaking Sunday night, Zelensky put the responsibility on Putin to end the war. 'The one who brought this war must take it away,' he said. This is a developing story and will be updated.
